Today’s word for July 25, 2011

What you have seen with your eyesdo not bring hastily to court,for what will you do in the endif your neighbor puts you to shame?
Proverbs 25:7 b-8

One of the things that makes us very human and not necessarily in the best sense of the word is our speed to make judgments. Very often when facing a situation or when we observe the behavior of our neighbors, we analyze the data available and with blazing speed we reach a conclusion, usually a damning and wrong conclusion. From the point of view of probabilities is very possible that we’re right for sin is the norm rather than the exception, but a judgment can not rely on probabilities but on facts and solid evidence. Usually we do not know all the details of an issue, unfortunately that does not prevent us from reaching a conclusion as if we knew all about it. That desire to issue a judgment, despite not having all the details is what gets us in trouble many times. Firstly because we are arriving at erroneous conclusions because we do not have all the necessary information and secondly because it is likely that we share our opinion with others therefore becoming bearers of gossip and intrigue.

The Lord Jesus was very clear about those who fall in this error and calls them hypocrites: «Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.» In any case, we must help to carry each other loads and do not complain about each other that we be not judged. The only judge is the Lord Jesus and we will all be held accountable for our actions or omissions. To God alone be the glory!